NORTH SAILS S_TYPE SL

• Sizes: 6.0 / 6.6 / 7.3 / 7.8 / 8.3 / 8.8 / 9.3
• Type: 2/3 cam - Freeride / Freerace
• Model: 2018

The S_TYPE SL has just one goal: to be even more successful as its legendary predecessors which won numerous world-wide magazine tests over the years and received first-class honors in their categories. Therefore Kai Hopf has thrown everything into the mix, resulting in even more performance without having a negative effect on the handling. The decisive factor is the NO.COMPROMISE.DESIGN that he translated directly from the WARP F2018 into the S_TYPE SL. Thanks to reinforcements around the leading edge, the known draft stability and the broad wind range could be retained. The result is a highly sporty and competitive slalom sail that thirsts for speed, yet is easy to tame.

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The new S_TYPE SL using the NO.COMPROMISE.DESIGN can safely be called the perfect blend. Comfort combined with the most successful race slalom sails in North's history. Therefore Kai Hopf has paired the balanced handling and comfort of the S_TYPE with the brute power of the WARP. This means: Outstanding power on all courses, which thanks to the integration of the new NO.COMPROMISE.DESIGN is effortless to achieve. Most striking is the extremely tapered mast sleeve in the new AERO.SLEEVE.DESIGN 2.0. Its width in the aerodynamically important boom area permits the ideal transition from the “thick” mast front edge into the ‘thin’ sail profile.

At the top however, the mast sleeve is still kept relatively narrow to ease up water starts. This is supported by the use of the WARP F2017 LUFF.LIFT.PANEL design that provides additional lift. Regardless of whether you’re at high speed or simply cruising and jibing, the S_TYPE SL is extremely versatile. It’s an excellent universal high performance sail for many board types, as it can be sailed with 2 or 3 cambers thanks to the SWITCH.CAM.OPTION (the camber in the foot area can be removed).

Simply ingenious: All S_TYPE SL sizes work with one mast length!

Features:

• NO.COMPROMISE.DESIGN: Guarantees an ideal mix of maximum power and forward pull without loosing stability/wind-range or becoming super physical
• LUFF.LIFT.PANEL: super early planing and acceleration through increased profile in the upper luff
• PROGRESSIVE.BATTEN.CONFIGURATION: batten amount depending on sail size and thus perfectly matching the range of use
• iBUMPER: the most advanced and effective molded mast protector
• HYPER.CAM: Again and again confirmed through magazine tests worldwide: The best rotating camber on the market
• SWITCH.CAM.OPTION 3/2: 3 cams for max. performance – 2 cams for improved handling
• MINIMUM.MAST.CONCEPT: One mast covers all sail sizes!
• AERO.SLEEVE.DESIGN 2.0: maximum performance combined with fast waterstarting
• 2 Year Warranty. Get an additional 3 year Warranty: CLICK HERE

PURE.PATCH.TECHNOLOGY

With the newly developed high-tech PURE.PATCH.TECHNOLOGY one layer of PURE PE material replaces the traditional multi-layer reinforcements. This applies to the clew, luff and the batten pocket ends. The altered structure in combination with the highly abrasion-resistant and virtually indestructible PURE material saves 50% of the weight of the previous patches! Woven in two directions.

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iROCKET 2.0

A new, unobtrusive detail with a huge effect. The completely redesigned iROCKET 2.0 is the lightest batten tensioner North has ever built. Its' unique design avoids the usual tendency of the sail becoming asymmetric.
The most important feature though is the PRE-CALIBRATED.BATTEN.TENSION. The perfect batten tension is decisive for maximum performance and optimum profile stability. But even World Cup pros have difficulties to set it up 100% correctly cause each and every batten requires a different tension: extremely high tension in the lower part of the sail but nearly no tension for the top battens. To solve the batten tension mystery and to prevent any miss-tension, every single batten gets pre-calibrated in the factory according to the specs of the designer. Not according to feeling, but through a torque wrench. In addition, the nut is fitted with a semi-tight screw-type glue, so that a change of tension is prevented. So the supplied batten-key is only necessary in case you want to individually fine-tune your sail or in the rare case of a break to replace the defective batten.

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HYPER.CAM - EASY ROTATION AND EXCELLENT RIGGING COMFORT

The ultimate in smooth sailing with unequalled advantages:

Advantage 1: Super-fast rigging. (Sliding-up instead of snapping-on the mast.) No need for repeat adjustments to luff- and outhaul tension.
Advantage 2: Minimum friction means soft rotation, since the HYPER.CAM features free rollers without plastic buckles, so that only the rollers touch the mast.
Advantage 3: Optimized shape for the best possible mast pocket profile and ideal aerodynamics
Advantage 4: Fits all mast diameters, since only the rollers but never the plastic body touch the surface, which also makes the HYPER.CAM extremely easy to rotate.

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VTS - VISUAL.TRIM.SYSTEM

Even newcomers can immediately trim the sail 100% correctly. Simply downhaul the sail until the borderline of the loose leech reaches the “min dot“ or “max dot“ (depending on the wind speed). That’s it! The exclusive VTS acts like a turbocharger, ensuring maximum performance and an extended range of use. Trimming has never been faster and more accurate!

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HTS HARNESS-LINE.TRIM.SYSTEM

Forget the time-consuming search for the ideal harness line position, the numb forearms, and the endless fiddling around! The patented print on the sail shows exactly where the centre of the harness line has to be. Just position the two ends symmetrically at the left and right of the print, that‘s all.

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2+3.YEAR.WARRANTY

Short-term thinking minimum weight is great. But over-reducing necessary reinforcements automatically reduces the longevity. NorthSails is famous for the perfect ratio weight to durability. To prove the superior durability and quality, North grant a unique 2+3.YEAR.WARRANTY on all their sails (does not include monofilm)!

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DOUBLE.SEAM.TECHNOLOGY

NorthSails stands for unsurpassed quality that guarantees a longer life for North's sails. The triple zig-zag seams significantly contribute to this. And they don‘t come, as usual, in a single, but in a double version! They cover all exposed crash areas that would otherwise be damaged. The result is higher resistance to tear and a reduction of stretch by up to 50% as a result of the second seam, also benefiting profile stability and performance. Only the DOUBLE.SEAM.TECHNOLOGY by NorthSails can deliver this!

POLYESTER.WEBBING.ONLY

What has been proven in safety belts is just good enough for us windsurfers! As the only manufacturer, North use Polyester webbing at the (vario) top, the tack roller and the batten tensioner attachment-loops. The advantage over conventional Polypropylene is the almost non-existing stretch. Even brand new sails now keep the full downhaul tension and need not be re-tensioned. The same is true for the batten tensioner. A small detail with a great effect!

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iBUMPER

The iBUMPER is probably the most innovative mast protector on the market. Under heat its highly resilient surface material gets thermally connected to a shock-absorbing foam. The intelligent arrangement of the ribs and surfaces not only offer weight advantages, but also eliminates the two most common problems. The contoured upper section provides unprecedented bump protection and cushioning in the event of foot or lower leg contact. The lower part however is designed towards maximum abrasion resistance to meet the frequent board contact. This is indicated by the absence of ribs and the generous surface. Smart detail: a mesh pocket at the inside to store the excess downhaul rope.

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SET&GO.VARIO-TOP

From the first rigging now the length of the vario top is set correctly. Easy to read length indicators show the perfect setting in relation to the used mast length which eliminates any testing and readjustment!

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DOUBLE.D.BUCKLE

Inspired by high mechanical load capacity climbing harnesses and racing helmets. The exclusive two-piece Double.D.BUCKLE replaces present standard solutions. This construction guarantees outstanding trimming options and completely eliminates webbing slippage.

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PROGRESSIVE.CUTAWAY.CLEW incl. CROSS.BATTEN

The CROSS.BATTEN concept is the intelligent solution that shifts the sail’s center of effort downwards and supports the larger surface area in the boom zone. It also allows for an early planing profile without losing handling. Ideal in combination with the PROGRESSIVE.CUTAWAY.CLEW which has an extremely positive influence on the sails agility, feel and allows a shorter, stiffer boom. Both features individually vary depending on the type and size of the sail. That is, the more pronounced the CUTAWAY thus the longer the CROSS.BATTEN, the more flex and comfort, especially when overpowered ("excess" sail area "flexes away"). The more performance-oriented the sail, the less pronounced the CUTAWAY.CLEW and the CROSS.BATTEN are to ensure a more direct acceleration.

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TRIPLE.TACK.ROLLER

The integrated, nickel-plated brass triple roller minimizes the downhaul forces tremendously. The optimized side plate with integrated rope led prevents that the rope will be damaged or jumps from the roller.

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TT.TOP

Kai Hopf relied on the WARP F2013 to design the TT.TOP. The concave shape is slightly reduced, which improves tension and allows for a more effective, three-dimensional top twist. This means the top twists not only horizontally, but also vertically under strong winds. By virtually neutralizing gusts, the rig’s kept steady in the rider‘s hands, and works in a much larger range of winds.

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INDIVIDUAL.BOOM.LENGTH.INDICATOR

Since the boom is positioned at different points on the mast depending on the rider‘s height, the ideal boom length varies due to the different angles. To make it easier to find the right length fast, the individual recommendations are written directly on the luff panel at boom level.

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XPLY.PLUS (100/150 micron)

XPly laminates consist of 2 layers of film and threads bonded together using clear or coloured glue. XPly has to fulfil the following 4 tasks in order of their importance:

• Puncture resistance
• UV-resistance
• Low stretch
• Rip-stop (comes into play only if any of the above fail)

Points 1 to 3 are exclusively depending on the thickness of the film being used.
The thicker the film
>> the higher the puncture-resistance (relation 1 to 1, means a film with twice the thickness simply has twice the puncture strength)
>> the higher the UV-resistance (relation 1 to 1,5, means a film with twice the thickness offers 3 times longer UV-resistance)
>> the lower the stretch (relation again 1 to 1, which even a higher thread-density cannot completely compensate cause within the gap between the threads the film will still expand)
Only point 4 is related to the amount of threads being used in-between the film layers.

That’s why North believes using XPly being thinner than monofilm (like some brands do) is complete nonsense.
These facts have been the base for the development of Norths exclusive XPLY.PLUS. North use a thick film sandwich (100 or 150 micron = 4 or 6 mil) to avoid a failure right from the beginning and combine it with a regular thread-density.
Compared to other brands XPLY.PLUS is up to 60% thicker adding approx. 200 g if used in the entire sail. For these “additional” 200 g though you get the highest durability/longevity level in the industry.
That is also one of the major reasons why NorthSails is the largest surf center supplier world-wide.
North is so confident in the outstanding quality of their sails that they are the only brand being able to offer a 2+3.YEAR.WARRANTY on all sails (except IDOL LTD and WARP).
NorthSails simply live up to their philosophy that light is right but only if it doesn’t go to costs of durability.

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MINI.BATTEN

Short, highly effective miniature battens support the area between the long battens and prevent any annoying flutter.

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MAST.SLEEVE.OPENER

A brilliant trick makes inserting the mast a breeze. The NorthSails logo above the boom cutout opens the mast pocket just a little, allowing the rider to insert the mast with just one hand, without having to move up the luff.